Burn Baby Burn
by francis2
Summary: Coraline doesn't understand why Mick would reject the little girl she captured for him.


**Burn, Baby, Burn**

The floor boards of the old cabin creaked only slightly when the woman carried the little girl in and closed the door with a sensual sway of her hips. She knew there was no one looking, but she prided herself that she still had it.

The girl was fast asleep in her arms, exhausted from crying and the long journey. It was a good two hours from her place in L.A. and it was late night, no wonder the precious little blonde had fallen into deep slumber in her car seat.

Coraline had chosen the cabin, she had packed a white dress, and she had laid out crumbs for Mick to find her. He knew the cabin, it was the place where his new life had begun. Now the place was worn down, paint chipping, old-fashioned window dressings almost in rags, the faucet dripping. She still had requested this one, and the motel owner had wondered aloud. She shut him up with a few bucks; she would have preferred draining him and dumping the body beneath the cliff, but she didn't want to draw attention to the motel.

She laid the kid down on the old comforter. The headboard was familiar. Coraline smiled reminiscing how she grabbed the wrought iron bars when Mick kissed her. He was so passionate, so exhilarating in being married to her. She still didn't understand why everything had changed so fast.

He would come in, finding them both here, and she would tell him about her plan. A family, that was what he always had wanted. She had found the perfect child, an angelic face, a tasty blood type and a single mother background. The girl would be thrilled to finally have a father. She was still a bit shy towards Coraline, but she would come around. Her name was nothing special, Beth, maybe they could decide on a new one for her. Vivien would be nice.

There was no electric light. She lit a few candles and an oil lamp just in case the kid woke up. She didn't want her to be frightened in the dark, the scent of fear would give Mick a totally wrong impression. It was cold, and she bundled the girl up. The fireplace held only ashes, no way would she go out and look for firewood now. Maybe Mick could help her with that when he arrived.

She sat down at the side of the bed and watched the sleeping child. Should she turn her now or wait until later? Maybe Mick would want the girl a bit older, so she would wait and let him decide when the turning would be right. The advantage of keeping her so young was that they wouldn't need to send her to school. They would just move around a lot or keep to themselves, so no-one would be the wiser about the kid never aging.

It would be so awesome. They would start the wedding night again, making it right this time. The girl would probably sleep for a few hours and give them time to play. And then later they would start living like any other happy family, playing with their daughter, reading to her at bedtime, then making love in their own room. Mick could still be the P.I. if he wanted, she would pursue her artistic hobbies, and the little one would have everything a girl could wish for. They would travel the world together, seeing all the places she always wanted to see. Everyone would compliment her on her little angel and on the handsome man at her side.

He was late. It was almost dawn now, the darkest hour. The girl stirred and woke up with a gasp, shrinking away from Coraline, taking the blanket with her.

Coraline smiled. "Hello, darling. Don't fear, I'm with you. Your daddy is gonna come here soon. Go back to sleep."

But the girl shook her head violently. "No. I have bad dreams. Please don't make me."

"Okay then. Do you want to play with your doll then?"

The girl nodded timidly and Coraline picked her up. At the small dresser she sat the little bundle down and showed her the doll she had brought with her. The girl was hesitant to touch anything, but then she began to stroke the doll's hair. She would come around.

There was movement outside, a car pulled up. Coraline decided on a whim that Mick should see the girl first. If he didn't like her, she could change her plans. There was no hiding place, so she jumped up towards the ceiling and held herself there with her claws. The little one gasped and looked away, and proceded to fidget with the dresser and the doll.

He entered the cabin, and she was mesmerized. His hair was a bit longer than she remembered, his leather jacket was new. He was in great shape, smelling masculine. He looked around cautiously and spotted the girl. She looked around when she heard him, very late. That would improve once she was turned. She then gave Coraline's place away by looking up to her. Coraline hadn't counted on children being unable to deceive.

He watched her and she floated down to him, her white dress flowing around her. She smiled and embraced the kid from behind, taking their daughter's face into her hand. His face showed a mixture of shock, apprehension and incredulity. Not the reaction she had hoped for. Not joy about finding her, nor questions about their new life together.

It seemed she had to start the conversation. "I knew you would come. Here we are, Mick. Finally, one happy family."

His expression changed from apprehension to rage. Somehow, her words didn't reach him. Why didn't he understand? She was at a loss.

Finally, Mick talked, but not to her at first, but to the girl. "Beth, it's gonna be alright."

So he still acknowledged his new daughter. His next words quenched her hopes.

"You're not gonna do this."

He didn't want her to keep the girl? Why not? "It'll work, Mick. You, me, and baby."

"No! I'm not gonna let you hurt that girl. I can't let you."

She had heard enough. Here she was, trying to save their marriage, trying to get her fledgling back, and still he rejected her. Coraline couldn't take it anymore. She vamped out and attacked him. She wouldn't let him take this little angel away from him. She needed her to get him back. He would see reason.

He was fighting back, and they growled and gnawed at each other. She felt his long hard frame crashing into her, and her arousal stirred. She started to kiss him through her fangs, gripping his jacket. He kissed her back, then threw her off again. If he only would make up his mind.

She was still stronger than him, being his elder, but she didn't really want to hurt him. She wanted him back. She crashed him into a wooden boulder and it splintered. He jumped her and threw her to the ground. They turned around together, in a dance that was half fight, half seduction. She was burning for him, and he was hard for her. They grappled at each other's throat with their fangs, and she scratched his face. She knew he liked it rough. When she was almost sure he would now rip the dress from her and make love to her, he suddenly managed to stake her. She stared at him with unseeing eyes, unable to move. No! He couldn't…

He grabbed the girl and went out in his strong, unfaltering stride.

He couldn't leave her here!

Something crashed on the floor. He had thrown an oil lamp into the furniture. The fire spread rapidly. She still couldn't move, but she tried to wriggle as much as she could. Would he really let her burn? Wouldn't he take the girl out, then come back in to save her? He was the hero for everyone, why not for her? It hurt.

When a part of the doorframe crashed down into her, it dislocated the stake enough to free her. She hurried to jump up, disoriented from the smoke and fire, and bumped into a window, frantically trying to open it, calling Mick for help. The grate didn't budge.

She watched Mick head towards the car, the girl in his arms. Mick looked back and watched her burn without emotion. When he turned around, the girl looked at her with hatred in her eyes. Coraline couldn't stand it anymore. The flames were kissing her feet. She turned around and fled towards the back. The door was blocked, but she managed to crash another window with a table and ran out. Shedding her ruined and fuming dress she jumped the cliff and cooled down in the icy water of the Pacific.

She could have run back and showed Mick that she was alive. She could have told him how much it hurt that he tried to kill her. For now, she needed a bit of distance to regroup. It would take a few days and a lot of fresh blood to heal the scars in her face and on her limbs. She couldn't show herself to him in her current state.

In the time it took to make it back to her party house, Lance had already landed on LAX. How he found out about her predicament, he wouldn't tell her. She suspected Josef.

She needed another plan. This time it would work, as long as she kept humans out of it. Maybe Lance coming over from France was a good thing. She already had an idea.


End file.
